OK, I'll state it right here and now, stomped probably isn't the right word, but it got you to click in and read so let it be.

Full disclosure here, I am a devout BMW person. I really, really like the cars they churn out, I like the heritage and I like the style. But that doesn't mean I'm closed minded when it comes to the competition.

In addition, I fully admit to enjoying the look and feel of a printed magazine, and although I know Agent 001 argues that it is a dying industry, I still enjoy it. In my youth Car & Driver always stood as the pinnacle of accuracy and integrity, I'm not quite sure I'd say that today as it seems as though ALL the major monthly rags appear to carry the exact same stories often with similar if not identical outcomes.

Now I state all of that to bring your attention to the June 2013 Car & Driver which is just now hitting mailboxes and soon the newsstand wherein the new Lexus IS350 beats a BMW 335i and Cadillac ATS 3.6 in a comparison test. And to be honest with you, although I've neither driven the Caddy or the Lexus, haven driven the new BMW 3-series I can't honestly say I'm surprised.

You know, brands like Acura get bashed on here all the time for having lost that certain something that made them special, you remember the greats like the Legend and the Integra. Well, in a lot of ways the new F30 BMW's are similar in nature, they are losing the very thing that made the 3-series special. I got to spend some time in a new F30 3-series about a month ago, and it was optioned with everything including the important items like the sport package. Aside from hating the color the car was spectacular to behold.

My first impression upon sitting in the drivers seat was how large the car felt. This impression was amplified by the fact that when you look out over the steering wheel you can peer into a void artfully concealed by black plastic trim that actually is in place to keep you from seeing into and/or under the hood. The hood of the vehicle is actually higher than the base of the windshield, and BMW creatively hides this by plastic trim, but the damage is done in that it gives the illusion of being a larger car than it actually is.

And in my opinion, that's not a good thing. What has always made the 3-series magical was the small intimate nature of the vehicle, one that felt like a well worn leather glove that fit perfectly. The magic was missing, and I hadn't even started the car.

And what a car, although the particular 3-series I had was only the 328i versus the 335i, the car ran. It was strong, it was fast, but it was missing the magic the previous 3-series possess. I've owned multiple 3-series throughout the years, E46 & E90's have been a familiar site in my garage throughout the years, ALL have had the prerequisite sports package so I feel as though I'm comparing apples to apples here. The new F30 3 simply felt limp in comparison.

It's as if BMW has allowed the committee to design the car bringing in the enthusiast at the end to "sport" the thing up versus allowing the enthusiast who obviously was foundational in designing past 3-series to get the first say at things. I hate to say it, BMW has lost some of its magic in my opinion.

Does that make the Lexus a better vehicle, I don't know honestly I haven't drive one yet. Do I expect BMW fans to simply drop their loyalty and make their way to Lexus to make their next purchase, probably not. What I think however is that while Lexus and Cadillac and Audi have been buying and dissecting 3-series cars for years trying to understand what makes them so damn good, BMW has gone the opposite direction by making their cars softer, larger and more luxurious.

Luxury has its place, it's across town at the Lexus or Cadillac dealer - NOT AT BMW. Remember, this is the brand that keeps the option of manual true clutch pedal control on not just 1, but 5 separate models series, the 1, 3, 5, 6 & Z cars all have the option to row your own transmission. Try finding a manual at Lexus, you won't because they aren't there. Take notice, Cadillac was studying and learning from BMW and offers a manual transmission.

To put it another way, BMW used to design their cars for the people who actually bought the manual transmissions knowing that those people where the ones who'd truly exercise and enjoy the dynamics of what the 3 was engineered to do. And everyone else bought them because of that halo effect. Not every 3-series driver extracts everything the car is capable of doing, but knowing and having others "think" that that was the reason they bought a 3 was half of the brilliance of the BMW 3-series.

And sadly, part of that was lost with the F30. Perhaps scarier than that is what happens the next time out. Let's be honest, the 1-series is closer in spirit now (minus the 2 extra doors, and forgetting the FWD redesign) to what a E30 or E36 BMW was while the new F30 really is size wise more in line with what a 5-series was 10-15 years ago.

Do we really need larger cars???

While everyone else was chasing the 3-series in terms of dynamics and involvement BMW continues to chase luxury, and legroom, and technology while their dominance in the sports sedan arena is chiseled away by the competition. The student is becoming the teacher as others become better BMW's than BMW. The "Ultimate Driving Machine" is dying a slow, painful death so that people who rarely sit in the backseat can be more comfortable.

I hope I'm wrong longterm, the M3/M4 will be a good indicator as to whether the 3-series genre continues to get softer or if it starts to go back to its routes. Long before the internet and places like AutoSpies.com magazines and enthusiasts would wax poetic about the BMW 2002 and subsequent 3-series iterations. Those musings weren't because of how much rear seat legroom existed, NOPE - it was always the way the 3-series was an extension of the driver, the engagement, the action, the thrill, the experience.

The thrill may not be completely gone, but it's going the wrong direction, and I for one am sad because of that.

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User Comments

I think this article is premature. The IS does not sell as well as the G Sedan which was the original car to beat the BMW. CD should have waited for the Q50 before they did this comparo. They should also include the Merc too.

Nice headline for the article. So the Lexus bested the BMW by 1 point and it was based on "fun to drive" and comfort and convenience features... The 335i sedan is one quick car. It is a Full second faster to 60 mph than the New Lexus IS350 or the Cadillac ATS. I am actually surprised by how slow the IS350 is and the ATS. That is the exact performance of the 328i sedan.

where do you get your spec information from? The BMW 335i beat the Lexus IS350 by a full second? IMAO...... The last gen Lexus IS350 has it best time from 0-60 in 4.9 second flat. And from what I understand is this new IS350 has similar number to last gen Lexus IS350.

The fastest time that the BMW 335i got from 0-60 is 4.8 second which is hardly a full second faster. But I got to admit this new Lexus IS250 and IS350 is one UGLY car compare to the last generation for sure.

You obviously didnt read the article. The Lexus and the ATS were 0 to 60 in 5.6 seconds. The BMW was 4.6 seconds. I am surprised the Lexus and ATS were not penalized more for the lack luster performance. Plus the Lexus stops almost 15 ft longer the either the BMW or the Cadillac. That is a huge difference.

Move over MOTOR TREND, you have a new flaky car test competitor! By one point? If you want a car with a bent Audi grill the Lexus is your obvious choice. Lets see how the feet going to the store decide when money, not just for ads, is involved.

no I didn't because I could not find it. And I even visited Car and Driver website as well and but I still couldn't find the article where it said the BMW 335i did 0-60 in 4.6s which I hard to belief. The fastest I could find for the BMW 335i is 4.8 and that from the last generation. And I know other car magazines has said the new BMW 335i has similar number in performance.

Wonder why the new IS350 is so much slower than the previous generation version. It's the same drivetrain, correct? Did it gain that much weight? A 328i runs 0-60 in the same 5.6s as the IS350 and ATS 3.6 did in this test. No wonder BMW came out with the 320i.

This is not a good sign for the upcoming BMW M3/M4. BMW's M5 and M6 have routinely been criticized for their poor driving experience due to numb steering, dull handling and lack of involvement. The M3 was the only remaining "M" vehicle from BMW's once cherished stable to provide that thrilling driving experience enthusiasts craved.

Even the future BMW M3 and M3 are at risk of following their M5 and M6 siblings down the path of turning what were once truly ultimate driving machines into now uninspiring and dull rides

Car and Driver said it best with the following quote in its most recent comparison test of the BMW M6 Convertible against the Jaguar XKr Convertible, SL63 AMG and Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet:

"The M6 is not horrible, but it’s not really an M, either. It’s too girthy, too soft, and too ersatz. If only it were as good at generating emotion as it is at generating test numbers. BMW needs a separate badge for these ultrafast luxury barges, the M5 and M6, to separate them from the M3. Until then, we’ll just rate it a “U” for uninspiring."

Maybe the upcoming M3 and M4 will need that separate "U" badge as well...

And perhaps you get the jist of what I was trying to write in the story today. I've not suggested BMW's aren't great cars, I'm suggesting that they just aren't the drivers cars they used to be. In my opinion, BMW is losing its edge as the Ultimate Driving Machine. It's a known fact all the other manufacturers buy 3-series and tear them down to figure out what it is that makes them what they are. My argument is to keep a BMW a BMW. I remember when a friend of mine's father showed up with a BMW 735i THAT WAS A MANUAL - of course that was 20 some odd years ago, but think about it, a full size luxury car with a manual.

"All told, we found the M6 ragtop entertaining. Like that fat girl at your high school prom who could dance all the way "down, down, down" to the ground in "Rock Lobster," we were left amused, if not aroused."

Since you're copying and pasting the same comments everywhere GermanNut, I guess I'll do the same with my responses.

Every time you post I can't help but imagine the sound they made in Charlie Brown cartoons whenever the teacher would talk. I don't think that's the reaction Audi's marketing department had in mind when they hired you to guerrilla ambush anything even remotely BMW-related online. Seriously, it's counterproductive at this point.

...this from a poster who ONLY shows up in BMW articles, or ones denouncing Audis. You'd think based on your attitude that Audi never wins comparos nor sells anywhere near the same amount of cars worldwide as BMW.

When BMW loses comparos, the argument turns to sales. When BMW sales slow down the argument turns to comparos...or that Audi only sells tons of A1s and A3s despite not even being top 3 in total Audi volume.

BMW4me4ever, I always bring up the M6 because it's the car that perfectly represents BMW's transformation from Ultimate Driving Machine into dull, numb and boring car that happens to have an "M" badge slapped on its rear yet doesn't deliver the driving experience so many have come to expect from the once-haloed M badge.

How about this review from Wall Street Journal on the 2013 BMW M6 coupe:

"Three hundred pounds is not a minor uptick in curb weight. It's major. The car is only 30 millimeters longer than before. And it makes me think that, on some level, BMW's M Division has quietly realigned its philosophy. Indeed, the M6—like the current-generation M3—more or less abandons previous notions of the Ultimate Driving Machine. You know: lightweight, agile, deft and darting? The new paradigm is big, heavy, substantial, with lots of computer-actuated muscle and driver assistance, and ultrafast."

"The other objectors? Purists, perhaps. If one were hoping for an autobahn barbarian like the previous M6, the new car will feel over-refined. The M6 that retired in 2010 (the E63/E64 generation) was powered by a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter, 500-hp V10, an engine with an evil, flapping quad-exhaust note like the beat of leathery wings and the guttering of dragon's fire. That car also deployed one of the most obstreperous gearboxes ever to appear in a luxury car: BMW's seven-speed, sequential SMG transmission. Upshifting the SMG was like taking big strokes with an ax. Thwock! Thwock!

Whatever else the old M6 was, it certainly wasn't lacking in drama. And, purists will note, you could even get the old M6 with a six-speed manual transmission."

German Nut lets talk about the M6 in every comaparison. Have you driven one and then shopped the competition? Most likely not, so your arguement stands from what only a magazine states yet you quote it as though it is a bible. Which is funny and Crazy. The M6 in that comparison test was 15" longer than the Porsche and 12" longer than the Mercedes. That will make a difference in the driving perspective between the cars. Why not compare the Jaguar, the masserati and the BMW M6 since those are all GT touring cars? Yet the BMW was the second fastest. Even quicker than Your beloved R8 or Rv10. That is amazing.

Since you like to bring up the "M" brand so much, lets talk about the M3. Oh wait, you don't care to do so as the RS5 has Lost Every Comparison test, is slower on a track, doesnt handle as well ... Even though the BMW M3 is 5 years Old. lol .... Lets talk about how the Audi A4 has faired against the 328i. I know, not so well.

BMW's steering issues have now transitioned into its bread and butter 3-series sedan. The once untouchable, 22-consecutive Car and Driver 10Best list was described as follows:

"Is it possible that the BMW has the worst steering here?" "This is the first BMW that feels less thoroughly engineered than its competition."

"And yet even the M-sport package failed to rectify our complaints about the F30 chassis."

"Bumps that the Lexus absorbs and the Cadillac shrugs off with a single succinct compression and rebound make the BMW pitch and rolland gight to stay on-line. Compared with the other two cars here, the BMW feels immense and slow-witted. Its steering also seems comparatively lazy, toolight and vague on-center and what little feel there is to begin with disappears entirely in fast transitions."

"And that is what's most damming: The M Sport is capable, but it's not as engaging as either opponent."

JRobUSC and BMW4me4ever you see very clearly what BMW has become. A shadow of its former lithe, engaged, dynamic, feedback-emitting self. If and when the M3 and M4 follow the 3-series and 4-series down that dangerous road, BMW's fate will be final.

The Ultimate Driving Machine will be dead.

Audi will reign supreme both in comparison tests and in annual global sales to become the world's best selling premium brand.

The writing is on the wall and BMW hears every single tick of the clock as it watches Audi rapidly closing in.

Hmm last I checked BMW, and Audi posted almost identical global sales increases to within a tenth or two, and BMW sold more high end cars with the 5 series being the top seller in its segment globally, and the 7 series outsold the A8 almost 2 to 1 globally. The ticking of the "clock" is in your head, and you should probably get it checked out.

PSST .... Where is your beloved Vw/Audi Group ranked with Forbes? Of wait you will argue that Forbes is biased and that it doesnt matter since it favors companies like Apple, Google, IbM & BMW. BMW is ranked as the Most Recognizable & Powerful Car Company in the World 5 years Running. Audi/Vw Group number # 32 ....

I'm looking forward to reading the Car and Driver article. But what struck me most about this one is that the writer thinks the 3 series is big on the inside. While the interior design has grown on me a little, I find the interior to be quite small for a grown man. I'm only 5'11 and 220 lbs and a 328/335 is very small to me.T

Compared to a E36 3-Series, the F30 is HUGE - granted I probably exaggerated a bit in calling it the size of a 10-15 year old 5-series, but it's getting close. I understand what you are saying in terms of your height/weight in comparison to the size of previous 3-series. I had a boss once who was 6'2" and a few ticks over 300 lbs who would struggle each and every time we elected to take my car for lunch. Of course, at the time he was driving a full size Dodge Intrepid which fit him nicely.

I don't think the 3-series is for everyone, nor was it designed to be - but that is the point. You wouldn't expect Ferrari or Lamborghini to design larger cars to fit all people, and likewise at a short 5'5" there are certain motorcycles I simply can't ride due to the very fact I'm simply too short.

bmwm6, the ticking is more like the way Audi has rapidly reduced the global annual sales gap with BMW over the last 5 years and continues at warp speed on its quest to dethrone BMW.

During that time Mercedes-Benz has fallen to third place globally.

I like how you introduce more "high-end" cars as a totally irrelevant topic into the conversation just to give BMW some credit.

You may think the ticking is in my head, but when you see Audi and BMW's annual global sales numbers in the next 5 years, you'll realize just like all the other BMW fanboys will that the ticking was real.

BMW still is and will remain the benchmark, that's why your panties get so wet when they lose a comparison test. BMW has made benchmark cars for decades, and no company can be perfect 100 percent of the time. The 5/7 series may not be as sharp as faithfuls want, but BMW is an independent company which allows them to adapt quickly to change/consumer demand, and they will respond. The next generation 7 will be made largely from Carbon fiber and aluminum, shedding over 400lbs. How many memorable cars has Audi made ever? 4-5? Lol. Audi will never be anything more than VW's luxury brand, aka the German Lexus. When you buy an Audi you get maybe 75 percent Audi parts 25 percent VW parts, and obviously more or less depending on the mode( a1 would be 80 percent vw 20 percent audi). A BMW is a BMW , and that's what you pay for, and is the reason BMW has pricing power over Audi. Do you want the real thing or a knock off ? And you can complain about steering, but BMW WILL refine and improve it over time(example 5 series refresh has updated steering), and almost every Audi ever has suffered from numb uncommunicative steering(for the most recent example see edmunds review of the s3), it's almost a hallmark to the brand, well that and understeer.

first off i'd like to state that i am an Audi fan so i will have some obvious bias towards their cars.

to bmwm6, you do realize that BMW will begin platform sharing with Mini right? if Audi is a luxury VW then i guess BMW will be a luxury Mini... the argument about percentages of a car being made from XYZ manufacturer is just stupid. who makes the transmission in the majority of all Audi's and Bmw's? ZF does. didnt GM make a bunch of transmissions for BMW? does that make a BMW a luxury american GM car? i dont think so, but according to your mindset... who makes that actual turbocharger that sits in each engine? who is BMW working with on the i series hybrid system? isnt a BMW a luxury Toyota then? so now BMW is a Lexus then, right?

anyway, moving on to the subject of where BMW stands today in my opinion. BMW makes great cars, i personally feel that they are too pricey for what they give you but thats just a personal opinion. BMW has been a consistent performance leader and that wont be changing anytime soon. a lot of people have been complaining that BMW is getting too soft but the reality is that they are making their cars more luxurious to keep up with the competition. according to the technical specs and the test scores, theyve been doing a fantastic job as well. increasing comfort by magnitudes and still posting numbers that are better than most. every time i read a review about how the car just doesnt feel as sporty i snicker because these people deep down inside want a evo, sti, frs, focus st, etc... but are badge whores that wanna say i have a BMW. if it was about the driving engagement, you wouldnt really be looking at luxury cars. luxury cars by definition would have to dull the car and add unneeded weight.

so now the question is, why does BMW appear to only be focused on luxury? well, because the average person doesnt know what a sporty car is. virtually everyone getting out a Merc, Audi, or Lexus will think that the BMW is already more sporty so what do you do year after year in changes? make it more luxurious to compete obviously. size, comfort, quietness... thats luxury which is the total opposite of sport.

btw 00J, you are 100% correct about the f30 being the size of a 15 year old 5 series. that is not an exageration at all. an f30 is virtually identical to an e39 in interior dimensions.

I mostly agree with you. The only difference is that BMW ownes and makes mini, and the platform sharing will not go past the 1 series. Whereas VW own Audi, and the parts sharing is much more extensive. Everything else i agree with you on, you're actually sensible, where germannut is just obnoxious.

thanks, i thought there was going to be a lot flaming hate from my comment LOL. on a side note, i would like to point out that its not that VW owns Audi, but the VW Group owns many car brands including VW, Audi, Porsche, Bentley, etc... just like the BMW Group owns BMW, Mini, Rolls Royce, and at one point Land Rover (i think). what im trying to get at is, my opinion of the modern car industry is: Share or die. why think of Audi as a luxury VW, couldnt they also be a mainstream Bentley as well then? would that make them more appealing? i guess over the years i feel that Audi has proven that they have enough platform differentiation from VW and out of all the current luxury marques, the only brand i have limited respect for would be Acura. BMW has what it takes to make great machines, i think the main issue right now for them is weight and only weight. my gut tells me that the bean counters have something to do with the limited progress BMW has made on weight reduction in comparison to Audi's recent strides. it seems that having a powerful and wealthy auto group to platform share some bread and butter vehicles will ultimately appease the bean counters and enable some great performance vehicles to be made. i think that BMW is following suit and we will soon see some amazing things from them again.

BMW has been a performance benchmark for decades because people knew when they drove a BMW they were getting a sporty, lithe, engaged and extremely fun car. Now that is no longer the case as witnessed by the countless reviews across the entire product portfolio from 3-series up to 7-series and including the SUVs.

The question has now become what does BMW stand for? If it's not as sporty as it used to be and is instead aiming more for luxury but still can't match the ride quality of a Lexus or Mercedes-Benz then what does the brand stand for.

The failure to provide that superb driving experience is what has unnerved so many journalists and caused BMW to lose many comparison tests.

Regarding platform sharing, it is extremely important to understand that when a company can produce a comparable product and make more money doing it, it will win eventually. By being owned by the Volkswagen Auto Group, Audi can save significantly on production costs by sharing platforms, transmissions, parts etc with other VAG brands such as Porsche and Bentley. When you buy 100,000 widgets the cost per widget is less than if you were to buy 1,000 widgets.

The component sharing explains why Audi's return on investment (11.1%) is higher than BMW's (9.9%) and much higher than Mercedes-Benz's (3.3%). Audi has been quick to invest its costs savings into expanding its product portfolio, particularly in the high-growth SUV market (upcoming Q2, Q4, Q6, and Q8 models), increasing production capacity in key markets (new Q5 plant in Mexico) and continuing to create new innovations (LED headlights, WiFi hotspot, etc.)

The BMW still drives and performs better than the competition in most comparison tests. How many comparison tests has the New F30 actually been bested, maybe 1 or 2 out of about 8? BMW is adapting to an ever changing market and being very successful in it. Unlike other manufacturers who do not evolve as the market changes. AKA Lexus, Infiniti and Acura.

Your arguement is the same one over and over again with no substance. All you do is form an opinion from what you read and not what you experience. Which is very shallow and one sided. Try going out and actually test driving some of the cars you speak so highly of and see how it relates to what you have read to form an actual and honest opinion. Or you can continue to read everything on the Internet thinking that is true .... I know the Internet today said the sky is Red, so it must be true.

The failure to provide that superb driving experience is what has unnerved so many journalists and caused BMW to lose many comparison tests.

Which Many? To whom? How many comparison tests has the F30 actually lost? 2 of 8. That would be 25%. Guess what most of the other Manufacturers have been bested by BMW more times than I can count over the past 5 years. I bet about 75% of the comparison tests that involve BMW are won by BMW. Yet you argue the M6 blah, blah, blah convertible and the numb steering. Hey guess what, Audi, Lexus and Mercedes all have numb steering. None of them are handling and driver cars.

to GermanNut, BMW stands for whatever the marketing team decides to say. as of now, it still stands for "The Ultimate Driving Machine", even though it has never been "the ultimate". just because the car isnt as sporty (i prefer the term "hardcore") as the predecessor, doesnt mean that it isnt a better machine. if it can outrun the previous generation and be more comfortable at the same time, then they have succeeded from an engineering standpoint in my books.

i am aware that your average BMW still isnt as comfortable as a comparable Lexus or Merc but the fact that it is generally percieved as faster, makes it sportier in the eyes of the masses. to the masses speed (horsepower, 0-60 times, the infamous butt-dyno) is sportiness, therefore BMW is still sporty. if true sportiness (being hardcore/that magic feeling) is the key to selling cars, people would be driving Lotus cars and they would be known as "The Ultimate Driving Machine".

its not that BMW can't make a car match the ride quality of a Lexus or Merc, the question is how much sportiness do you give up for comfort? how do you grow your market appeal without alienating your existing buyers? So far, BMW has done a good job according to their sales numbers, apparently journalists opinions are not affecting their sales much.

as i said before, the reason why BMW's are improving so much on luxury amenities is because thats what the market is demanding for. a brand new Toyota Camry today is more luxurious than the Camry of yesteryear (hell is more luxurious than the first Lexus ES). Therefore a 3 series today has to be more luxurious than the 3 series of yesteryear. If hardcore driving feel is what your looking for, you shouldnt be looking at a luxury car make. the luxury standards of yesteryear are equal to the the mainstream standards of today. Want the feel of a e30 3 series? then go drive a FR-S and put BMW badge on it.

I'll assume you are from either Colorado or Washington as it's obvious you must be smoking something pretty great to walk away with the impression you presented here.

The point of the article was discussing how BMW is losing its edge as the Ultimate Driving Machine, not promote Lexus or BMW or any other make over another, just lay out the case that BMW seems to be losing that special something that made them so great.

I'd argue that the case laid out was both objective and fair, and honestly celebrates whats great about automobiles.

Stating that it's rigged is ridiculous as the article this opinion piece was based off of is from C&D, and as such is in opinion of their opinion.

Take some time to reread what was written before spouting off with ridiculous and baseless claims.

to 00J, i agree that to say the test was rigged pretty ridiculous but at the same time, the determining factor for who won the comparison was highly subjective and there are reasons to question the results.

one thing that bothers me a lot in this comparison test is the slalom speeds achieved. both the BMW and Cadillac clearly have better tires, more grip, and less weight according the specs listed but the tester couldnt top the Lexus. the superior slalom speed and the reason why the Lexus came out on top seems more like the opinion of a driver who couldnt drive the BMW or Cadillac at its limit rather than the driver being limited by an inferior machine.

when test result scores are only separated by one SUBJECTIVE point, my opinion is that the results should be declared a tie or the scoring system should be laid out differently. for example test results should be based on non-subjective values that can be measured instrumentally, leave the Fun to Drive, and styling factors as a separate value all together.

BTW, what is the "Flexibility" value mean under the "Powertrain" section of the results? im quite baffled by BMW's low score since turbocharged engines with highspeed ZF 8 speed transmissions should be consider quite... ummm... flexible. is that another one of those silly subjective scores to sway the "Grand Total" results?

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